Representing Jesus, how well?

Representing Jesus, how well?

One of the privileges that a Pastor enjoys is being part of the emotional moments, the crises of life, with those in his care. 
A baby is born and we celebrate. 
A death occurs and we comfort. 
Marriage gets stormy and we counsel. 
Disappointment comes and we console. 
Questions arise and we try to help the troubled work through them.
We connect those we love with the One who loves them most. 

In this, we are like Jesus, the Lead Pastor.  He does not run from people's needs.  He shares their lives, steps into the fears, tears, storms, joy, and pain.  His Presence makes a difference!  

In Mark’s Gospel, there are two stories of His compassion that show me the depth of His care.  In chapter 5, we meet a woman sick for years who is too fearful to face Jesus so she just tries to touch Him.  When she succeeded, her faith allowed her to experience healing. Jesus sensed the touch and when she came out of the crowd trembling with fear, He gently called her "Daughter!" and then told her that her faith was rewarded.   Wrapped around that little drama, we meet a desperate father whose daughter lay dying.  Jairus pressed Jesus to come to his home, but the delay on the way brought word she died.  Jesus' words are so tender and challenging - "Don't be afraid, just believe!"  And he saw his daughter restored.

Shepherding is never about me. It’s about those I serve. To the extent that I become invisible in the process of connecting people with the grace, peace, and wisdom of God, I have done my priestly and pastoral duty well. It's all about Jesus Christ!   

Our Lord wants to do His work through you, too.  One of the issues that hinders ministry is the mistaken notion that it is about you.  Ministry is not about giving anyone of us a sense of importance;  it's not about gaining affirmation; and it's not about creating a list of wins and losses.  We simply represent Jesus Christ, letting the Spirit work through us as we share life with others.  The Word says, " this is the secret: Christ lives in you, and this is your assurance that you will share in his glory. So everywhere we go, we tell everyone about Christ. We warn them and teach them with all the wisdom God has given us, for we want to present them to God, perfect in their relationship to Christ. I work very hard at this, as I depend on Christ’s mighty power that works within me." (Colossians 1:27-29, NLT)

As you walk through this day, take an active interest in the people you among whom you live and work. Look for ways to be a minister of the Gospel and connect them with Jesus.  You will be amazed at what He does for them.  Here's a word from the Word.  I pray it challenges you to a renewed sense of ministry.  ". . . for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light."  (1 Peter 2:9-10, NLT)

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Touch Through Me

Touch through me, Holy Spirit,

Touch through me.

Let my hands reach out to others,

Touch through me.

There's a lonely soul somewhere,

Needing just one friend to care,

Touch through me, Holy Spirit,

Touch through me.

Love through me, Holy Spirit,

Love through me.

I will be my brother's keeper,

Love through me.

Hearts are bleeding deep inside

Love can dry the weeping eyes,

Love through me, Holy Spirit,

Love through me.

Flow through me, Holy Spirit,

Flow through me.

Like a river in the desert

Flow through me.

Springing fountain, healing stream,

Living water, pure and clean.

Flow through me, Holy Spirit,

Flow through me.

My hands will be Your hands

Reaching out to others.

My lips will not be slothful

Lord to speak.

I will be that Good Samaritan

To someone else in need.

I will be Your house to dwell in

Live through me.

Dottie Rambo

© 1981 New Spring (Admin. by Brentwood-Benson Music Publishing, Inc.)

CCLI License # 810055

Blood, Guts, and Ghouls

“Horror flicks” noted for copious amounts of terror, blood, and torture are popular entertainment fare.  Apparently some of us get a kick out of being scared silly while we watch the work of psychopaths portrayed on film.  Defenders of the genre remind me that what is on the screen is not real. But, why make 'art' out of the kinds of things that actually do take place in hidden places? Which brings me to this day, not one of my favorite days on the calendar; the day of little witches at the front door, fake blood, destruction of property, and all things ugly!  Yes, it is Halloween, the time for fright and "fun."  

The day grew out of a Catholic holy day, All Saints Day, which falls on the first of November.  On that day, the martyrs and the dead are remembered with prayers. The eve of the day has morphed into a night of mischief and has become a time of death, horrors, and demons. I'm going to pass on the ‘fun.’  Unlike some Christians, my reason for passing up the celebration of Halloween is not fear of demons or worry about being tainted by evil. The power of the Resurrected Christ and the Spirit of God in me has replaced fear of the occult with peace and assurance.  No, I am not afraid, I just prefer to celebrate life!  There's enough evil, horror, and tragedy in the daily news. I just don't need to take further note of the ever-present death and sorrow that stalk this planet. Jesus Christ calls us to give life, light, hope, and joy to our worls.  Even death, the great enemy, loses the power to terrify Christians because in Him we already possess eternal life.  Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”  (John 8:12, NIV)  My hope is that all Christians will be people of Light and Life in a culture of death and violence.

I'm not a crank. I'll meet the kids at the front door this evening with a sugary treat. But, throughout this day, I will be praying for the blessings of God to come to this broken, fallen world where there is so much suffering and sadness coming from the schemes of the Evil One.  Today I will look for ways to be a person who gives those blessings - in my words, in my attitudes, and in my actions.  My discipleship is much more focused on what I’m 'for' - not on what I'm against.  So, though I will not celebrate Halloween, I will stand for Jesus and for goodness! We should be noted for the rich and full lives we enjoy as a result of His love, rather than being known as cranky people who are always 'against' this or that.

Have you received the gift of His life? Then celebrate it! Do not give in to the Pharisees in the church that find every occasion to criticize, condemn, and carp on the sins of the world.  Instead, sing a new song! Make it about the glory of being one of God's own people.

Jesus wants us to live in joyful celebration. He says, “You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I’m putting you on a light stand. Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven." (Matthew 5:14-16, The Message)
_______________________

All I once held dear,
Built my life upon,
All this world reveres,
And wars to own,
All I once thought gain
I have counted loss;
Spent and worthless now,
Compared to this.

Knowing You, Jesus,
knowing You,
There is no greater thing.
You're my all,
You're the best,
You're my joy,
my righteousness,
And I love You, Lord.

Now my heart's desire
Is to know You more,
To be found in You,
And known as Yours,
To possess by faith
What I could not earn;
All surpassing gift of righteousness.

Oh to know the power of
Your risen life,
And to know You in Your sufferings,
To become like You
In Your death, my Lord;
So with You to live, and never die.

Knowing You, Jesus,
knowing You,
There is no greater thing.
You're my all,
You're the best,
You're my joy,
my righteousness,
And I love You, Lord.

Knowing You - Kendrick, Graham
Copyright: 1993 Make Way Music (Admin. by Music Services)

Just stick to the facts!

When I pressed the young man for the details, I did not need to be Sherlock Holmes to know that we were in fantasy land!  In his attempt to justify his actions, he had spun a tale bearing little resemblance to the truth. The truth seems to be missing in action in a many places.  Resumes get ‘puffed,’ a nice way of saying, lies of exaggerated accomplishment. Our politicians lie so regularly we’re all left confused about the truth. A recent documentary reported that just over one half of spouses admit to lying to each other.  So, everybody does it, right? Maybe, but "should it be done?" is the real question. Cynically, because of the way that words are used so casually, I discount much of what I read and hear, thinking - "So, what really happened? Is there a kernel of fact under the layers of padding?"

Hyperbole is not the problem. When a person says, "I'm behind you 110%!" we know what they mean, that their words are not to be taken literally. The problem is just plain old dishonesty. It is everywhere around us.

• Candidates for political office say things that are full of fluff, just to impress. "It's wonderful to be here in the great state of NJ, here in beautiful downtown Newark." The audience politely applauds while thinking, "Really? Of course you don’t think downtown Newark is beautiful!”  

• Job titles mean little in reality but give the appearance of importance. Have you ever noticed how many assistant vice presidents there are in banks?

• Advertisers routinely mislead consumers, though carefully within guidelines that avoid legal repercussion.

Christian, integrity matters!  Jesus tells us "Just say ‘yes’ and ‘no.’ When you manipulate words to get your own way, you go wrong." (Matthew 5:37, The Message) He made this statement while talking about vows and promises. He taught us to be so trustworthy there is no need to buttress our truthfulness by saying things like, "I swear to God!"  We are to be authentic, transparent, giving no one any reason to question the truthfulness of what they say or wonder if they should search for hidden messages. James, likewise, directs us to plain speech. "Since you know that God cares, let your language show it. Don’t add words like "I swear to God" to your own words. Don’t show your impatience by concocting oaths to hurry up God. Just say yes or no. Just say what is true. That way, your language can’t be used against you." (James 5:12, The Message)

I want to encourage you to listen to your words today. See if you have developed a habit of inflation, even in the little stuff. Do you exaggerate the tone of another's words? When you speak of yourself do your words make no more, no less of the situation than is real? Do you use language in a way that always shines the favorable light on yourself?

Be truthful, for God’s sake, really!   No, that doesn’t mean we are rude or hurtful!  Truthfulness does not mean we have to call out every sin, name every failure, or point out every stain. There's a time for discretion which is expressed best by silence. Sometimes the best words are no words.  But, watch out for word inflation, too.  Silly flattery seems harmless but it devalues speech.  Clever ambiguity that allows a false impression to form is, yes really, a lie.  We honor the Lord when we refuse all forms dishonesty.  Be the person God, in His grace, has called you to be:  nothing more, nothing less.

Here’s a word from the Word. Live it, for the Lord’s sake. "Therefore, since through God’s mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God." (2 Corinthians 4:1-3, NIV)

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All Your Promises

Oh Lord, our Lord,

How majestic is Your name.

Your words are true,

Your mercy does not change.

All Your promises are precious,

Reviving our faith,

Ev'ry one of them

Will be fulfilled one day.

  

All Your promises,

Are yes and amen, Jesus.

Your promises are true!

All Your promises

Are yes and amen, Lord Jesus.

We'll keep running after You.

Andrew Smith

© 1995 Mercy / Vineyard Publishing (Admin. by Vineyard Music USA)

Vineyard Songs Canada (Admin. by Vineyard Music USA)

CCLI License # 810055

Beauty, brains, brawn, bounty

She preens, careful to make certain that her beauty is noted. It gives her a sense of worth. He advertises his athletic prowess for the same reason. Another drives a car that is a billboard for his wealth, much more than just ‘transportation.’  Another includes the letters of his degrees on his business card. It says, “I’m accomplished.”  This need to proclaim, “I exist. I matter!” is universal in humans. The same message is shouted in a thousand ways. Cities do it with massive buildings. Nations work at becoming empires.  Tragically, even some churches play the game, insisting “We are the people of God.”

At the dawn of human history there is a story that is rewritten somewhere every day. "As the people migrated to the east, they found a plain in the land of Babylonia and settled there. They began saying to each other, “Let’s make bricks and harden them with fire.” (In this region bricks were used instead of stone, and tar was used for mortar.) Then they said, “Come, let’s build a great city for ourselves with a tower that reaches into the sky. This will make us famous and keep us from being scattered all over the world.” (Genesis 11:2-6, NLT)  Genesis goes on to recount the Lord’s displeasure with their conceit!  He confused their language and drove them apart. Their folly was forever known as the Tower of Babel.

The desire to know that we matter, that we have worth, is good and normal. God made us in His image, unique and valuable. Just as He creates, He placed a desire in us to contribute to the world we live in. But, we are broken by sin, our desires to matter contaminated by pride. Like those ancient people we think making a name for ourselves will satisfy our soul. It won’t!  Only one choice allows us to live contentedly: serving God’s purpose! The godly give themselves to Christ Jesus and, in Him, their lives find meaning beyond any they might find in earthly accomplishment.

The conceit of humanity is a game for fools. Solomon played it like a pro. He gained admiration from far and wide, built amazing public works, enjoyed sensual pleasures on scale we cannot even imagine. In the wisdom of advanced years, he looked back. His words, which I hear not as a sigh of resignation, but as a cry of awful regret for a largely wasted life, should point us to a different road. "What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun. Is there anything of which one can say, “Look! This is something new”? It was here already, long ago; it was here before our time." (Ecclesiastes 1:9-10, NIV) "I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind." (Ecclesiastes 1:14, NIV)  Some read him only as a cynic. But, I read him as a man who came too late to understanding, who wants to spare us the sorrow that comes from the realization of our own conceit too late. He says, “Remember God… remember… "Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man." (Ecclesiastes 12:13, NIV)

Conceit or contentment, which is it for you, Christian? 

Pray that the Spirit will help you see past the allure of beauty, brains, brawn, or bounty! The lie of ancient Babel still tries to convince us that we can make ourselves matter. The word from the Word holds wisdom that sets us right. "Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory." (Colossians 3:1-4, NLT)

___________________

Only in God, is my soul at rest.

In Him comes my salvation.

He only is my Rock,

My strength and my salvation.

Only in God is found safety,

When my enemy pursues me.

Only in God is found glory,

When I am found meek and found lowly.

My stronghold, my Savior,

I shall not be afraid at all.

My stronghold, my Savior,

I shall not be moved.

Only in God, is my soul at rest.

In Him comes my salvation.

Only In God

Talbot, John Michael

© 1980 Birdwing Music (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing; Admin. by BMG Music Publishing) / BMG Songs, Inc. (Mech) (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing; Admin. by BMG Music Publishing) CCLI License No. 810055